Crate.



J. S. DE'. LONG.

y CRATE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1912.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1912. is ,T5 l Patented 00h. 22, 1912.

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J. S.' DE LONG.

CRATE. APPLICATION FILED MAY zz. 1912.

Patented 0st. 22, 1912.

3 SHEETS*SHEET 3 JOHN S. DE LONG', OF OSBORN, OHIO.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

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Application filed May 22, 1912. Serial No. 699,034.

To all whom t 'map/webcam.'

Be it known that l, JOHN S. DE LONG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Osborn, in the county of Greene and State of hio, have inijented certain newand useful Improvements in'Crates, of which the following is a. specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. l

rihis invention relates to new and useful improvements in crates for packing and shipping vegetables and the like andl has for its primary object to provide means whereby the tops or greens of the vegetables may be projected'through the sides of the crate to allow the-vegetables proper to be more readily packed within the device.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a device, the sides of which are'forrned of spaced members between which the tops of the vegetables may extend and still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a removable topfor the device formed of transversely and longitudinally extending' looped wires.

Another object of the 'invention resides in the provision Vof looped wires forming the sides of the preferred form `of the invention which are adapted to receive in engagement vtherewith portions of the top member and the spaces between which are adapted to receive the projecting tops of the vegetables. With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel features ofv construction, combination and arrangementof parts as will be rhereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specication and claims.

in the accompanyingdrawings forming a. part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred .form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the wires forming the same previous to the bending thereof to form the sides and ends of the device. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the top applied thereto. Fig. 4 is a perspective view a slightly modified form of the invention. Fig. 5 is asimilar view of a further modified form; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of the invention. y, y

.n describing my invention, I shallrefer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which l indicates a bottoni of my improved crate formed of the transverse and longitudinally entendingwires 2 and 3 respectively, the wires 2 being portions 'of a single strandoi wire which is continued and looped or convoluted at regular intervals to form sides 4 for the device. The longitudinally extending wires 3 which form a portion of the bottom l `are also portions of a single strand of wire. which is continued and looped or convoluted at projecting points to form the ends 5 for the device. The transversely extending portions 2 of the one single strand of wire may be secured, if desired, in any preferred manner to the longitudinally extending' portions 3 of the other single strand of wire andjprevious to the forming of the device proper, the wires will appear as shown in Fig. 2, but in order to retain the sides and ends 4 and 5 respectively in upright position as shown in Fig. l, I provide the pair of bracing wires 6, which extend' lopen-ended spaces also provided between these looped portions of thewites, and I have provided a top 7 for the device which 1s designed to coperatie with this particular formation of the sides and ends thereof. To

this end, the top is formed of a pair of wires 8 and 9, the former being looped or convoluted to forni longitudinally' extending wires, while the-latter is similarly designed to form transversely extending' wires, said transversely and longitudinally extending wires being engaged with one another in any desired manner. This formation provides a plurality of loops on the sides and ends of the top, which loops are spaced apart and adapted to be entered within the loops of the sides and ends It and 5 of the device proper. In order to enter the loops of the top within the loops of the body of the device, the former will necessarily be sprung' into position which will, it'will be' seen, securely retain said top in various adjusted positions in the body of the device, it being understood that said top is capable of vertical movement within the body lwhen once positioned therein. f

A device formed in accordance with this.

construction, will permit of vegetables and the likebeing readily packed within the body of the device to allow the tops thereof to project through the spaces between the loops l'orl'ning the sidesl and endsiot said device. The inclosure delined by the sides and ends may, therefore, be utilized entirely for the vegetables proper so that a greater nui'nber of the same may be packed therewithin and it will further be seen that when it is desired to remove the vegetables thereiroin, the saine may be accomplished in a systematic manner by grasping the tops, which project beyond the sides and ends of the device and draw upwardly thereon.

In Fig. 1l of the drawings, l have shown a slightly modilied form oi ,the invent-ion wherein the device is provided with a wood bottoni l0 and the wood. ends ll. The side edges of the bottom are provided with the upwardly extending ilanges l2, the upper faces of which have yengaged therewith the ends of the wires 13 which are bent or looped in a U-shaped manner to form the sides l-t for the device. I have also provided a central division wall l5 which 'is rei'novably mounted between the ends ll and the bottom l0 of the device and which may be entirely omitted, if desired. .hs the side walls of this device are substantially the same in design as thc side walls of the other form shown in Fig. l, the top 7 for the latter may also be used in connection with this modified Jforni shownin Fig. ll.

'In Fig. 5, I have shown a still further modied form of the "invention, wherein a bottom l5 is formed of a 4plurality ot' transversely extending slats which may be Vheld together in any desired manner and held between said slats at the ends thereof, are the. vertically extendingn slats lt' which 'forni the side walls ot' the device. Solid end walls 1T are also secured between the end slats of the device and are secured t0 the end slats of the side walls by' means oli the longitudinally extending wires 18 which extend through the slats 1G adjacent the lower ends thereof, said. wires being also extended through said end walls. JFrom this construction it will be seen that the side walls are formed of spaced vertically extending-.slats lo and the top 7 shown in connection with the irst form of the invention may also be used in connection with this form. ln applyi'ngthe top tothis form shown in Fig. 5, the slats projecting on the side edges ot the device are slightly. spread and sprung over the upper ends of the slats 16 Jforming the side walls of the device and it Will be appreciated that said top will then be capable of a vertical movement and will be securel held in any adjusted position. If desired the central division Wall may `also be used in connection with this form of the device. nln Fig. 6,' lha-ve shown a still further modiied form of' the invention which is extremely similar to the 'form shown in Fig. 5. ln this form, a bottom 19 has the side and end edges thereof provided with upwardly extending llanges 20, the inner faces of which have nailedor otherwise secured thereto, a plurality of vertically lextendii'ng slats 2l. These slats are spaced at regular intervals throughout the length and width of the bottom, so as to 'provide side vand ends walls 22 and respectively therefor and it will be appreciated that while this form is considerably diti'erent in direct structure 'from that shown in the .first form of the invention, the principle is the same, which permits the 'vegetables to be packed within the device. in this form, it will also be appreciated that the top Y' used in con# nection with the first term may also be applied, the loops thereof being adapted to be sprung over the respective. upper edges of the respective slats.

From the foregoing description of the construction ot my device, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and eilicient means for carrying out the objects of the invention and while I have particularly described the elements .best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in 1form, proportion and in the minor details of con- `struction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any oi the principles oit the invention.

Having thus described this invention, what claim is l. A crate of the class described comprising a bottom, side and end Walls therefor, the side walls being composed of spaced ven tical members, and a top 'for the device hav ing projecting loops on the side edges 'ther of, said loops being adapted for adjustable engagement with the spaced members ci' the .side walls.

2. A crate el' the ing a bottom, side and end walls therefor, said side Walls being composed or" spaced vertical members, and a top formed ot longitudinally and transversely, extending loops, the transverse loops being adjustably engaged with said vertical members to permit vertical movement l 3. A crate of the class described comprising a bottom, side and end Walls therefor, the side walls'being composed of spaced vertical members, .and a top composed or" wires looped to form longitudinally and transversely extendingwires, the loops of the transversely extendingwires being projected beyond the side edges thereof to in; tei-lock with the spaced members of the side Walls, whereby said to will be securely retained Within the device and capable oi a vertical movement therein.

4. A crate o the class described cficagiirirs#a class described comp i EDG of said top thereon.

therebetween.

ing a' bottom, side and end walls therefor, the loops of said top `'being' adapted to cot e side walls being provided with spaced operate with the loops of the side and end vertical members, andv al top composed of walls to adjustably retain said top there- 25v transverse and longitudinallyl extending between. wires, said longitudinal and transversely ex- 6. crate of the class described compristen g wires being formed respectively ing a bottom, side and end walls' therefor, fromsi'ngle strands ofwires looped a number said side and end walls being respectively of times, the loo s of wire forming the formed of single strands of ire looped a 30 transversely extending wires being ada ted number of times, said bottombeing formed to coperate with the spaced members o the of .the transversely extending sections of si e walls to adjustably retain said top the strands forming said 'side and end -5. A crate of the class described'comprisend walls-and. a to composed of wires ad- 35 I a bottom, side and end walls therefor, justably engaged with the loops of said side sald side and end walls belng respectively and end walls to permit vertical movementv formed of single strands of wire loo ed a ofthe top-thereon. p

number of times and -said bottom eing In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my f ormed of the transversely extending sec` signature in the presence of two ifitnesses. 40

tions of the two strands of wire forming A N S DE ONG 'said side and eni walls, bracing wires en- Witnesses: Y y circling said side and end walls, and a top WEILMORE B. TURNER,

composed of wires looped a number of times, RoLLA M. G owA-Y. 

